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Full-Text Articles in Education

Professional Learning For Paraprofessionals: A School Improvement Plan, Brooke Pfaltzgraff Oct 2023

Professional Learning For Paraprofessionals: A School Improvement Plan, Brooke Pfaltzgraff

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Dallas Center Elementary is a small kindergarten through fourth grade elementary school in the rural town of Dallas Center, Iowa, just outside of Des Moines. In the past, the school has had difficulty training and retaining paraprofessionals to ensure quality support for their special education students. A review of literature was conducted to determine implications for limited training, best practices, and benefits to training paraprofessionals. Feedback from current employees was also considered in designing this school improvement plan and professional learning calendar for the 2023-2024 school year. The professional learning for paraprofessionals will also support the building wide social emotional …


Implementing Social Emotional Learning With Fidelity: A School Improvement Plan, Courtney Reuter Jul 2023

Implementing Social Emotional Learning With Fidelity: A School Improvement Plan, Courtney Reuter

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Research findings indicate social emotional learning can have a positive impact on both teachers and students. Social emotional learning not only improves the social emotional well-being and competence in teachers and students, it can also benefit students academically. When students do not have access to social emotional learning instruction consistently, it can have a poor impact on both their behavior and academics. With research findings in mind, a school improvement plan was created to research, purchase, and implement a new social emotional learning curriculum with fidelity. The goal of this plan is to increase the fidelity in social emotional learning …


The Effects Of Social-Emotional Learning Strategies On Promoting Positive Behavior In Elementary School Students, Lea Adams Apr 2023

The Effects Of Social-Emotional Learning Strategies On Promoting Positive Behavior In Elementary School Students, Lea Adams

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The focus of this action research was to appropriately implement social emotional learning into a small classroom environment. The lessons were aimed to assist students and foster positive behaviors both inside and outside the classroom environment. Participants participated in a four-week study. The research participants consisted of 17 girls and boys within a classroom. This classroom environment had a total of 11 boys and 6 girls, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The study also included four specialist teachers (Hawaiian, Japanese, Computer Science, and Physical Education), the homeroom teacher, and the school counselor. During the intervention, each class engaged in daily morning meetings, …


Can Play-Based Learning Provide Adequate Learning Experiences For Young Children?, Rachel Bienemann Apr 2022

Can Play-Based Learning Provide Adequate Learning Experiences For Young Children?, Rachel Bienemann

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This research study was conducted due to my curiosity in the effectiveness of play-based learning for academic and social emotional growth. I am in my 14th year of teaching preschool at a small Lutheran school. I used my afternoon classroom of 19 students to conduct the study. Screeners in five different areas were conducted before the eight-week data collection period. During the eight weeks, students participated in play-based learning activities to introduce and practice academic and social emotional skills. After the eight-week period, the same screeners were given to the students. Findings from the study revealed student growth in both …


The Impacts Of Intervention On Emotional Awareness & Self-Regulation On Students With Disabilities, Lydia Smith Oct 2021

The Impacts Of Intervention On Emotional Awareness & Self-Regulation On Students With Disabilities, Lydia Smith

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impacts an intervention has on the emotional awareness and self-regulation skills of students with disabilities. Previous research has examined one or more of the components of emotional awareness, self0regulation,social emotional learning (SEL) programs, and students with disabilities; but none have examined all four of the components in conjunction with each other. This research was able to inspect all of these components through a mixed-methods study which implemented an intervention for eight weeks. The intervention consisted of instructing the student on recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating emotions, as well as learning …


The Impact Of Social Emotional Learning In An Elementary Classroom, Jessica Carter Oct 2021

The Impact Of Social Emotional Learning In An Elementary Classroom, Jessica Carter

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Social emotional learning is a growing topic in education due to the increase in mental health and behavioral disorders in children and youth (Blewitt et.al., 2021). Taking into consideration students’ emotional needs is an important aspect that helps to support students' overall performance at school. This action research study conducted with first grade students not only supported students in their social and emotional needs but in their reading and mathematical skills as well. The researcher used the chosen curriculum to help students to learn about self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. The findings of this action …


Trauma-Informed Practices And Their Effects On Student Performance And Behaviors, Ashley Roberts Oct 2021

Trauma-Informed Practices And Their Effects On Student Performance And Behaviors, Ashley Roberts

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Trauma occurs when a young child experiences an event that causes actual harm or poses a serious threat to the child's emotional and physical well-being. The research shows that there are many factors that influence a child's life and can cause a child trauma. Many children exposed to trauma will experience difficulties with coping, building relationships, self-regulation, lack of social skills, difficulties with peers; many will develop PTSD. Educators and parents alike are looking to trauma-informed practices for the benefit of all children. This literature review will explain the importance of these practices and how they affect children's behavior and …


How Adding Social Emotional Learning Impacts Preschool Student's Ability To Manage Their Behavior, Pamela Niemeyer Jul 2021

How Adding Social Emotional Learning Impacts Preschool Student's Ability To Manage Their Behavior, Pamela Niemeyer

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research was inspired by the researcher's own classroom observations of students' behaviors, interactions, and emotional reactions throughout the day in preschool. Having students who have behaviors that may get out of control, the researcher wondered if a whole class social emotional instruction would provide them with strategies make a difference in all student's ability to manage their emotions. The participants in this study included 20 preschool students, 3- to 5-year-old. This study took place over a 4-week period where social emotional lessons were presented as whole groups and small groups. During this time, the teacher was intentional in …


The Effects Of Mental Health In Students’ Academic And Social Success, Matthew Evans Apr 2021

The Effects Of Mental Health In Students’ Academic And Social Success, Matthew Evans

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The percentage of children experience mental health issues such as anxiety, behavior disorders and depression have continued to become more prevalent in the last twenty years. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the prevalence and contributing factors of mental health disorders in school aged children and the effects it has on their social success and academic achievement and what can be done to support children to be successful and improve their mental health. Educators are a key factor in improving a child’s mental health, with much of a child’s time being spent in school, educators are more …


Growth Mindset And Its Impact On Math Performance In Third Grade, Alicia Wenger Oct 2020

Growth Mindset And Its Impact On Math Performance In Third Grade, Alicia Wenger

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research is to describe the effects of the application of daily growth mindset lessons upon the accuracy and level of work completion in math assessments. Participants included the researcher’s class of 13 third grade students from a small rural Midwest school district. Students participated in a daily growth mindset lesson intervention for a period of 4 weeks. Data was collected using math assessments and growth mindset surveys. The results concluded that although students can develop an improvement in mindset with intervention, it does not always directly correlate to the improvement of math accuracy and work …


The Effects Of Second Step In A Prekindergarten Classroom, Victoria Brandenburg Aug 2018

The Effects Of Second Step In A Prekindergarten Classroom, Victoria Brandenburg

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research project was conducted to determine if using Second Step social emotional learning program would affect the frequency of negative behaviors in a preschool class. The lead teacher and associate were trained in Second Step social emotional learning. Second Step was implemented in the preschool class for three weeks. Qualitative data was collected from teacher interviews. Quantitative data was collected from behavior logs, behavior reports and researcher observations. The data was entered in a table and the data was used to determine if negative behavior decreased after implementing Second Step curriculum. After analyzing the data and teacher interviews, …


The Impact Of Social And Emotional Learning On A Kindergarten Classroom, Rachel Mooy May 2018

The Impact Of Social And Emotional Learning On A Kindergarten Classroom, Rachel Mooy

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research was to determine the impact of social and emotional learning on the behavior of kindergarten students. Participants were fifteen five and six-year-olds in a private school in a rural setting. Qualitative data was collected through observation in a pre and post intervention setting. Six weeks of social and emotional learning lessons were implemented between observations. The results of this study suggest that social and emotional learning does affect students' behavior in a positive manner.


Preschool Social Emotional Learning And Curriculum Design: The Changing System, Amy J. Clark May 2017

Preschool Social Emotional Learning And Curriculum Design: The Changing System, Amy J. Clark

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

As early as the seventeenth century, theorists began to recognize early childhood as a distinct time of life. Prodigious research from the past forty years describes the positive educational outcomes for students attending quality early childhood programs. This literature review will examine the history of early childhood education and important themes that have emerged over time. The theme of social emotional learning will be a focus as one of the key outcomes of early learning programs and a determinant of later school success. In addition, the effects of poverty on the developing child, along with ways to mitigate these effects …